The document summarizes a film that explores the cultural differences in how four babies from different countries are raised in their first year. It describes the upbringing of babies in Mongolia, Japan, Namibia, and the United States. The babies in developed countries receive more resources and efficient care, while the practices around the babies in less developed countries are shown to be more rough or unsanitary. The film examines how culture and circumstances affect child development in the early years.

1. The Cultures of Birth
By: Isaya Acevedo, Ishtiaq Rahman, Brian Diaz, Jan
Ferrer, Jonathan Ramirez, Andreas Panagiotou

2. Babies (2010)

3. Summary of the Movie
❖ The filmmaker travels around the globe to give us a perspective on the first
year of four infants.
❖ The tiny little humans are introduced into culture and family traditions.
❖ This movie explores four newborns.
➢ Each newborn in a different country
➢ In the movie it gives the perspectives of 2 babies in developed countries, and 2 in developing
countries.
➢ Through what we see of how they are raised, who they grow up with, and their surroundings
all affect the values and customs in which they are taught.
➢ Not only do we see this but we also see how different parents have different ways of raising
their children and how certain circumstances might have an impact on this.

4. Bayanchandmani, Mongolia - Bayar
- The pregnant mother practices exercises, before giving birth.
- Upon leaving the hospital Bayar’s mother rides a motorcycle with his father
and older brother.

5. Bayanchandmani, Mongolia - Bayar
- As the mother cares for the cattle, she leave the baby unattended.
- At other points he’s left alone with cattle surrounding him.
- The mother of the baby squirts breasts milk all over the babies face to wash him.
- The mother is rarely ever with Bayar, and in scenes she is with her baby they are
tense scenes in the particular manner she treats her kids.
- The boy would walk around without pants.
- The older brother would take out his anger on the baby
- The baby would also share his bath water with a goat.

6. Tokyo, Japan - Mari
● The pregnant mother is sitting on the couch, where she begins to rub her belly.
● Once the baby is born the mother write Japanese characters on the baby's feet.
● Mari is surrounded by a cushioned environment with her mother father and a pet cat
● She is taken out around the city and sees all the bright lights of Tokyo
● Her crib is unique since it is able to mechanically cradle her as she sleeps.
● Mari and her mother attend a group of mothers and toddlers who play and interact with each other.

7. Opuwo, Namibia - Ponijao
- There are little boys playing with rocks, and then they begin to fight for a water bottle in
which one ends up crying moments after as the older child hurts him
- A naked women then begins to grind up with a rock something red, which she applies
on her stomach.
- Grows up in a community where from birth he’s constantly with other people and kids
who communally raise him.
- The little boys are being breast fed while one of the mothers foot is being played with
by a little dog, as she converses.
- One of the mothers then cleans the little boys poop with her knee, and cleans her knee
with a dried piece of corn.
- The mother breast feeds the babies who are already able to walk.

8. Opuwo, Namibia - Ponijao
- The mother gives a haircut to one of the boys with her knife
- The little boys drink water from the river (unsanitary conditions)

9. San Francisco, USA - Hattie
- Opening shot is the IV drip and heart rate monitor that she's connected to
- Hattie’s mother is the only mother that isn't breastfeeding throughout the film
- The baby lives a better life as she is given toys, and she goes to the doctor
for regular check ups on her health.
- Her parents take her on a stroll in the street within their community.

10. Conclusion
Therefore, as we are given insight on behalf of the 4 different cultures we notice
that the two babies within developed countries are being cared for more efficiently
due to the resources available to them. The development of the child is affected
by its culture, and practices and the country in which they live in. As the parents
treat their children differently as seen with the Japanese baby, and American
baby, and the circumstances they lived in compared to the Mongolian, and
Namibia babies. The care for their children portrayed from the Namibia, and
Mongolia parents is more rough. The Japanese and American baby go out, and
explore within their community and more importantly have a prominent fatherly
figure present in their life which shows their culture and beliefs.